Chapter 35: Retribution

Michelangelo swallowed nervously, rivetted in place as he stood protectively in front of Donatello. As much as the young turtle longed for an unexpected talent in invisibility to suddenly manifest, it wasn't going to happen. Tiger Claw had spotted them.

The mutant had been hurrying out of the burning storehouse, pawing at the purple powder in his eyes and evidently expecting to head to safety. But if he was coming out, what had happened with Raphael and Leonardo? Were they still inside? Had the two factions clashed?

Tiger Claw stopped his escape, instead straightening to stare straight at the two turtles with an initial look of surprise, but then a disturbing smile of relish upon his features. It was that look which sent horror spiralling round within the teen, as he realised what it implied for his eldest brothers.

Fear gripped at Mikey like a hundred inky hands plucking at him from all angles. They pinched at his skin and stole his breath away as terror rose overwhelmingly. He could feel everything beginning to tremble, from his knees through to his chin.

He couldn't fight. He was too scared to fight. Tiger Claw's fearsome reputation was terrifyingly earned, so even the will to battle was no guarantee of success. But, that wasn't the only problem. Even facing such a terrifying foe, one who had been directly involved in causing Donnie's injuries, Mikey was still crushed by compassion.

Once upon a time, Tiger Claw must have had a family. Someone must have nurtured him, during his earliest years. Did they know what had happened to their son? If he was injured, or died, would they be traumatised?

Even amongst his Foot Clan allies, surely there must be some who cared for him. Some who would be saddened by his hurt, or mourn his loss. To not build connections of camaraderie with those you fought alongside was a concept so foreign to Michelangelo that he couldn't imagine it, even for his most hated enemies.

As the turtle stared, fixed to the spot, he saw the mutant tiger determinedly stride towards them. Malevolence filled his expression, and his paw went for the heat ray. Its icy twin was missing.

"H-he's injured," Donnie noted, from behind Mikey's left shoulder. Looking again, the turtle's eyes flicked to the bleeding gash on Tiger Claw's thigh.

That made things slightly easier. Perhaps. Swallowing nervously, Michelangelo tried to convince himself that he could harry their enemy and keep him busy, while Donatello rushed in to save Leonardo and Raphael.

If there was anything left to save, Mikey thought, with his stomach taking a sudden lurch. As he glanced briefly back towards his other brother, he found himself wondering also whether Donnie could provide such a rescue by himself.

As if agreeing with him, Mikey felt his t-phone buzz with another warning from the seizure sensor that Donnie and April had set up.

Donatello wasn't looking great. It had been a long night, and his brother had already been in one battle this evening. He didn't look like he was in any shape for another, or indeed for anything other than brushing his teeth and going to bed. The shadows beneath his eyes seemed to be deepening by the second and his hands shook uncontrollably as he tried to hold his bo-staff ready to battle.

"Th-this one might n-n-not be a false alarm," Donnie admitted faintly, as he tremulously met Mikey's gaze.

Michelangelo swallowed nervously, but forced a confident smile onto his face. "No problemo, D," the little turtle stated. "You chill, brah. I got this."

Seeing Tiger Claw raising the heat-ray and readying to fire, Mikey abruptly sprang forward. He was not about to let the enemy pick them off at range with the gun. Swinging round, he aimed a high kick at the weapon, with the intention of knocking it out of the mutant's hand.

But the enemy was too fast and jerked his arm up out of reach. Not to be outdone, Mikey immediately utilised the extended reach of his weapons and spun one end of a nunchuck towards the same target.

With a quizzical look, Tiger Claw moved it out of the way again. "You are fighting my gun instead of me, little cub?" he taunted, before baring his fangs menacingly. "It is not my weapon that you should fear."

It was a threat that had teeth as well as claws, as the tiger slashed through what would have been Michelangelo, if he hadn't vacated that position with milliseconds to spare. Popping up behind his enemy, the turtle swung a nunchuck to strike.

He really wanted to do this, Mikey told himself sternly. He had to be brave and ruthless, like Raph. He had to really want to see Tiger Claw come to harm, to be punished for all the wrongs that he had ever committed against the turtles. Not to mention every other innocent person he had caused to suffer.

Except that just wasn't the case. At the last moment, Michelangelo pulled his blow and ended up giving the mutant tiger the lightest tap across the back of the knees with his weapon. Their diminutive friend, Mondo Gecko, could have hit harder. So, it had no chance of doing any good against Tiger Claw.

Twisting round, the enemy reached down with one big paw towards Michelangelo. Seeing the hand looming towards him, the turtle dove forward with a gasp and managed to roll clear just before the clawed fingers snapped shut.

In the corner of his vision, Michelangelo saw that Donatello had managed to stagger over to the relative cover of a dumpster that was pushed against the perimeter fence. He was crouched down beside it, with his head in his hands. No help was coming from there, but at least for the moment his brother was out of harms reach.

Unfortunately, behind them both, the building was still burning. Not as quickly now that there were several snaky trails of foam falling onto the partially collapsed roof, from the efforts of the fire-fighters on the far side of the building. But flames were still dancing into the air and belching black smoke, as the fire steadily spread throughout the area.

His eldest brothers were still in there. Tears stung at Mikey's eyes. Leo and Raph. They could be dead already, or injured and facing their doom in the lapping inferno. He wanted to save them, but he couldn't. He was trapped in a battle he couldn't fight, and therefore couldn't win.

The swish of movement alerted Michelangelo to dive aside again, as Tiger Claw's foot skimmed the trailing ends of his short bandanna tails. Bouncing back to his feet, the turtle back-flipped to escape a second blow that immediately followed.

Tiger Claw growled in frustration, as he wheeled around and raised his gun. "Stand still so I can hurt you!"

Hurt. He was going to get hurt. If Tiger Claw was hurt, it would cause sadness on the enemies' side. But, equally, Mikey knew that if he was the one to be hurt then his family and his friends would be aggrieved, just like they had been with Donnie.

But that was only the start. If he didn't defeat this foe, then Donatello would be finished. Leonardo and Raphael would never escape the fire. All his brothers could perish, and that would make Michelangelo very sad indeed.

Abruptly, something clicked in the young turtle's mind. Fighting caused misery. No matter who was clashing, no matter what the outcome, someone would suffer for it. That's why Splinter urged them only to fight when they needed to, but that when they needed to fight they were to do so to the utmost of their ability.

Michelangelo's expression intensified as the realisation was swiftly followed by another. This fight was already happening, and consequentially someone would certainly suffer for it. But it wouldn't be him, the turtle suddenly resolved. It wouldn't be his family or friends. It would be Shredder, and all the ones that considered Tiger Claw their friend and ally.

A battle roar burst unbidden, as Mikey abruptly changed tactics. Instead of leaping around in defence, he dove to face his foe in a violent whirl of chains and sticks.

"BOO-YA-KA-SHAAA!" Michelangelo screamed into the face of Tiger Claw, as he pummelled the mutant with an endless rain of blows. They seemed all the more jarring after his pacifistic strikes from before.

Surprised by the sudden change in his foe, Tiger Claw staggered backwards and frantically tried to defend himself from the hail of attacks. Yet despite his best efforts, he couldn't get a strike in edgewise. Within four blows, Mikey had sent the heat-ray skidding off into the darkness. Within eight, his enemy was down to his knees.

A final clout sent Tiger Claw tumbling flat onto his face to the ground, stunned into motionlessness. Michelangelo stood triumphantly over him, nunchucks stilled and his chest heaving as he fought to recapture his breath.

The smoky air stung his throat and sharply reminded him that he had no time to spare lording it over his fallen foe. Slipping his weapons back into his belt, Mikey turned and bounded over towards where his brother was still sat on the ground.

"I did it! I did it, Donnie!" he gushed, excitedly. "Tiger Claw is down."

He was both pleased and relieved as Donatello carefully unpeeled his hands from his head and blinked hazily up. He still looked tired and shaky, but he clearly hadn't experienced a debilitating seizure.

"Are you okay?" Mikey asked in concern.

"Yeah," Donnie started, before his face wrinkled in disgust. "I can't believe that m-m-med-meditating actually worked. For now, at least."

A sudden crash from the warehouse as another section of the roof collapsed caused both the turtles to look up in alarm.

"Leo… Raph!" Mikey gasped, worriedly, "C'mon, D. We gotta save them!"

Donatello nodded tightly, reaching for a hand that Michelangelo willingly provided. Pulling his brother back to his feet, the two hurried towards the building. The youngest turtle had been about to plunge straight in, but found his brother tugging at him to stop.

"Mikey, wait! P-put this on." Reaching into a box next to the doorway, Donatello pulled out something that looked like steampunk's answer to a swimming mask. "It'll filter the smoke, and the t-toxic fumes."

Nodding obediently, Michelangelo nevertheless paused to watch how his brother put his own mask on before trying it himself. Probably just as well, he reflected, as without a point of reference he'd probably have worn it upside-down.

"Were Leo and Raph wearing m-m-masks?" Donnie asked worriedly, his voice muffled, and when Mikey shook his head he quickly grabbed two spares.

Another crunching sound inside the building caused both the turtles to hesitate, glancing nervously at one another. Steeling himself with a breath, Michelangelo held out his hand.

"Okay, let's go and save their shells!"

Donatello's jaw set determinedly, and he gave a brief nod as he slid his fingers into Michelangelo's waiting palm. The two locked their hands tightly together, drawing courage from knowing that the other was there.

Plunging into the smoke-filled storehouse, lit by the terrifying flicker of flames, Mikey desperately hoped that they weren't too late.